By Gabriela Villa | Observer Contributor
Transfer Advisor Sarah Pingeton urged students to relax about the transferring process and to consider transfer programs such as Commonwealth Commitment and Mass Transfer.
The most common challenge students face in the transferring process is not knowing where to start, said Pingeton.
“Once someone gets going it’s not that difficult of a process, and I’m happy to help,” she said. “It’s simpler than you think it is. And yes, even you can do it. You can get your Bachelor’s degree. We’ll get you there.”
The main point for students to consider when deciding where they want to go is the fit, said Pingeton. “The school can be the right price, have the right program–everything you want–but if you get on the campus and just don’t fit there, it will be much harder to be successful.”
Most students choose to apply to only one school that they have their heart set on, most commonly UMass Amherst or Fitchburg State, Pingeton said. Both schools are under the Commonwealth Commitment and Mass Transfer programs, which help to ensure students’ acceptance into certain colleges.
The Commonwealth Commitment is a transfer program that is available to students who never take semesters off, remain full-time students, and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA. It applies to every UMass or state school and freezes tuition costs, which normally go up every year.
This means that if students decided on Commonwealth Commitment their first year at MWCC, they would only have to pay the ‘18-’19 cost of tuition for their second year and the ‘18-’19 tuition cost at whichever college they decide to transfer to.
Mass Transfer is a statewide transfer agreement with a longer list of majors than the Commonwealth Commitment. If a student maintains a 2.5 GPA they are guaranteed to transfer to a college within the program as long as their GPA also meets that school’s requirements. The benefit of Mass Transfer is $1,000 a year for the student.
Cost is another major factor that students should consider when deciding where they want to transfer. “They saved money here which is a great start, but I don’t recommend getting into $100,000 worth of debt for 2 years of college,” Pingeton said.
Students can start thinking about where they want to transfer as soon as they start at MWCC, said Pingeton. The first semester is a good time to start, but students can still begin the transfer process at the beginning of their final semester.
Pingeton recommended taking tours of colleges, which she suggested doing before applying. Touring before applying can occasionally waive the application fee.
Pingeton said that she is happy to meet with anyone, whether their question is simple or complicated. There are also 2 designated transfer counselors in the Visions program and other advisors who are knowledgeable about the transfer process.
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